Stephen Lynch

" We have backstage senator Bob -- Tom Finneran here running in six AD WRKO and this Capitol Hill report report. Is brought to you by alpha Omega now in progress the court authorized bankruptcy sale at alpha Omega jewelers. Diamond and diamond jewelry precious gyms and famous name Swiss watches all -- liquidation prices. And we are expecting congressman Steve lynch who. Is representing forget which congressional district but basically sell Boston and points kind of south and west. In congress and he serves on subcommittee that's going to be. Taking some testimony I guess from Roger Clemens today Ando going to find out if this is really going to be as significant blow. To the rockets. The legacy and that we looked at him with us shortly. And has some interesting developments on that front as we know Clemens has a found himself in the -- storm. Regarding his potential -- is use or the alleged use. Of steroids or human growth hormone -- revealed in the Mitchell report. And he has been making the rounds down in. Washington meeting -- some members of this community. Privately yesterday he met with the one included representative Diane Watson Democrat of California. And issues will cool to meet garage a rocket. She said the discussion included baseball stories and personal accounts. About the September 11 attacks it's always good to meet the person who is in the spotlight I told him. Quote this is not a trial. But it may feel like one today for Clemens. After he gets done with the committee and and now on the line with us a member of that subcommittee. Congressman Steve lynch and old colleague of mine in the Massachusetts state senate Steve I don't today."

" Good morning beer -- nice to hear your voice thanks for joining us here -- veterans forum. All of beer so you've got pretty busy day am I'm sure a lot of press is going to be queued up for this one and exactly what is happening today."

" Well -- as you know Bob they've had eighty 88. Rescheduling two witnesses so that handy edit it and Kirk or -- And and Knoblauch will not be coming and testifying they've stipulated to -- testimony and so now we're just gonna have. You know Roger Clemens it and and Brian Mac and he is trying to the its usual weight training coach that's his official right title but. Those who will be testifying before the."

" And who now know what's what's been happening any what is the end game here in terms of what the subcommittee is trying to get to Steve."

" Well it should you may remember back in 2005 we encouraged baseball too. To revamp their whole collective bargaining agreement and and in doing so we ask that they commission be established and that was the commission established by. Former senator Mitchell he came out at the end of his is a report with twenty recommendations. Our thirteen have been adopted by Major League Baseball there are seven that remain I have not been adopted and need to be negotiated -- collective bargaining so we're basically looking for baseball to to adopt those remained seven and also to begin to police itself because you know it has not done so thus far."

" I would agree were you on that front and I guess the question that some people might want to ask is why. Should congress -- everything that's happening -- congress take an interest in what's happening. In baseball we've grown men."

" Who you know that is you know something -- anti Miami you know have been legal. It I -- so equitable and Israel it is in fact illegal aspects the reason I bet that my community is is which is HDH illegal. As if -- it is yeah it is what out of prescription it is. -- let me let me clarify that simple possession is not a crime. But by selling it on the Internet in Kigali opened that we see going on a daily basis is."

" Look the reason that bit -- our committee has jurisdiction in this week we oversee the controlled substance acts and just as we've had hearings on oxycontin several hearings on that on -- on a lot of these other drugs that work. Well we'll put on the market and Steelers safety concerns. We have responsibility for for steroid use as well that's that's under title three of the controlled substance -- When we can't turn our back on -- you can't just say well this involves players that we all like this involves a sport and an industry that we all enjoy racial we're not going to do what jobs so what we're compelled to do this but I think we have you know as you suggested we've we've run our. Our -- course here and I and I think it's that time for the congress to disengage after these hearings. And give baseball a chance to police itself they have made a lot of progress since 2005."

" I have a long way to go I mean if you want to quantified I think they had a long long way to go. And I hope you're right I hope they have made progress."

" Well he could if you remember Bob back in 2005 baseball had a provision that. A player could believe in the middle of his urine test are monitored and come back. Now and an hour later they also had a provision as a player got cut. Using steroids. They could pay a 10000 dollar fine and no one would say anything about it it would not be made public so. You know they've got rid of those two provisions and -- serious testing protocols cut on capital cities."

" They were talking with congressman Steve lynch. A who will be. On the panel today that will be listening to testimony for Roger Clemens Steve can make it gets up and off my chest some of the really bothers me about the whole thing as -- hard core. Religious baseball fan. You're the greatest sport in the world. The one thing -- baseball great and unique was the integrity of statistics comparing players through the different areas. And I think the integrity of statistics have been blown out. The door in this steroid era not solely because of enhanced you know performance of some of these plays due to do to these substances there the fact -- but I think it's a big part of it. What troubles me throughout this whole process you guys you know I know right now you targeting players. But here players doing something where it was almost you know a wink wink situation with management and and ownership in baseball allowing the players to do this now all of a sudden the players of the target in it seems to me like people like but -- league. You know who who this went on under his watch by the way reminds me -- Barney fife. Throughout this whole process I'll never -- listening to a live press conference after the Mitchell report came out. And you know he's acting like he shocked I have revelations come out in the past couple days by effort since John rocker. Who has said that Selig was well aware of steroid use. And that different doctors team doctors were coaching players on how to mask this steroid use it seems to me. That seal -- You know is is almost getting rewarded -- is getting a free pass on one hand I think from congress number 2 he's getting rewarded with -- another huge contract. By ownership you know at what point do we demand some accountability from them."

" Yeah you know I'm I'm not and disagree a little obvious what -- said. I I do agree that it was complicity there was complicity on the part of baseball certainly in 2005 but silly testified that it's not a big problem you guys are overreacting right this is if you -- liners trying to destroy the credibility of Canseco. Well you didn't -- golf art -- do that well turns up much of what he said was true. Well he you know -- Look I read the book and and I listened to his testimony at the Harrington knows it was two different stories so you know -- contradict themselves on many occasions but I won't -- that ethics. You know -- you know. But what. What I concede your point of baseball and its role in the nets and certainly solid gold will always have be. You know the the tarnished fact. On his record that he was in the seat uh 1 and one a lot of this came to a head and he did resist initially. But I think the reason that that -- baseball's ownership team managers as -- you know. Given him a vote of confidence because he'd get a lot of this stuff but since 2005."

" I think he's more to do with the fact I have what more than two of the fact that. Revenues -- rock band there awarding him for Iraq profits not because of any integrity on this issue that's my opinion that."

" Yeah yellow I would say certainly revenue has a lot to do that I think this was a very dark. Episode in the history of a sport that we love and and there's there's still hold legacy issue about what you do with players who who set records turn in this era when there's -- you know there's I don't know a certain level of suspicion about how plays accomplished these things. So so there is damage there but what we're trying to -- What we're trying to do is get baseball back on the right track and and send out a very strong hard message that this is not acceptable. Now -- a baseball but our young people because obviously there's this huge example that is set. -- right players of the professional lab right."

" Congressman Lynch he he will be Clemens will be under oath today correct. You will be -- and he's is liable for perjury should he -- before this congressional committee today. Correct of all yes so it already seems like there's much contradictory information being put forward when you consider the in the -- affidavit. Where he had talks about Roger Clemens speaking to him about his use of human growth hormone so how does congress. Then sort that out if Clemens contradicts the -- affidavit."

" is subject to prosecution and he you know he will be informed of I think he's got to competent attorney -- Don't know you know instruct them on -- as well yeah you gotta wonder how competent the -- today. Well you you don't act I think I think they're they're trying their best to convince their client that the best you know. The best -- to take right you know I'm not socialize -- but what. It is definitely contradictory testimony you know mist mister McNamee says inject -- quite -- over twenty times. Mister Clemens doesn't matter how love really moved to massage those to it's action and so someone someone yeah it appears to me that someone has not telling."

" Hey Congressman Lynch we know you got a busy day today we appreciate you taking the time to join us here -- veterans forum got one last question -- seems as though Clemens -- making the rounds down there yesterday. And up from what I heard in one report some of the congressman. Kind of fallen all over themselves and and Gould Gould autographs. How many out of your colleagues on the panel today will be approaching Roger Clemens to sign something."

" Well I heard of one example personally you know I I instructed my staff and you know we have a certain level congress in my office where they would not to ask Bernie are perhaps -- they allowed to accept an autographed it what was offered you know personally I think that is something of value that they're that was being offered there and you just can't do that and still maintains an appearance of objectivity. -- art -- Cox news today it looked a little unseemly. Yeah I'm not good not good you would thanks you know that happened back and 2005 as well do you think people would learn that lesson."

" Hey what the tech guy you know Carl Yastrzemski gave when he predecessors Joe Moakley his his championship ring right is pennant ring. So it's Clemens can give you an autographed ball."

" Now what I was after the fact and event was not subject to a congressional hearing palace it was. I think they would just good friends and Sierra Vista by my side of the -- different congressman Moakley."

" I -- I had to get that in hey Steve lynch good luck today and how will we we have been watching so it's going to be a big day down there in congress do the right thing. All right thank you and hopefully can follow up with us on Friday and regret okay -- our congressman -- lynch thank you gotta go to were quick break stay with -- earnings -- WRKO"